From the Muncie Star-Press:
A small percentage of local voters have decided the immediate future of school buses in Muncie.
In Tuesday’s referendum to decide the fate of a proposed property tax rate for Muncie Community Schools, only 8,263 of 50,682 local registered voters — 16.3 percent — turned out to vote.
Of that number, just under 54 percent voted “No” — enough to turn back a proposed 22 cent property tax rate that would have generated more than $3 million in revenue to continue school bus service for MCS students.
That turnout was low in contrast to the most recent comparable election, the city election of November 2011. In that election, 17,267 people voted for a turnout percentage of 29.5 percent.
It’s likely a chance to elect the city’s mayor — Dennis Tyler in 2011 — sparked more voter interest than Tuesday’s school bus referendum.
With only 42 precincts in a combined 15 polling sites, vote tabulation in the election office on the first floor of the Delaware County building went quickly Tuesday. Less than two hours after the polls closed at 6 p.m., the last of the votes was counted. County Clerk Steve Craycraft reported few problems during the 12 hours of voting.
Although the Democratic Party, led by Muncie Police Chief Steve Stewart, came out in favor of the referendum in recent days, the school vote was ostensibly non-political.
But in reality, veteran election watchers on Tuesday night were watching vote results in city precincts that leaned either Democrat or Republican.
While the “no” vote was strong in many precincts, southside precincts — traditionally thought of as Democratic Party territory — like Precincts 28, 29 and 41, which voted at Mansfield Park, voted “no” by majorities of 60 percent or more.
Likewise, 62 percent of voters in Precincts 9 and 22, which voted at Munsee Lanes on East 26th Street, voted “no.”
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http://www.thestarpress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2013311060017&nclick_check=1
